Another Scheme
by JupiterSun11
Summary: Helga is done with being ignored by her parents, so she decides to dress and act like someone that they adore but is it that it is cracked up to be? ArnoldxHelga fluff.


**A/N: Hello! This is going to be a bit different from the usual stories I write. Though it has the usual fluff. Anyway Enjoy! **

**I don't own Hey Arnold**

"Miriam!" Helga shouted from the kitchen. Her frustration rising, she was already having a bad morning. "Where is my lunch?"

The house was silent as if Helga hadn't said anything at all. Helga shouted her request once more. Her mother stumbled in from the living room, moments later. "W-what?" Miriam adjusted her glasses as her eyes refocused on her daughter. Helga crossed her arms and sighed.

"Where is my lunch?" Helga repeated again but with hostility.

"U-um...your lunch...lunch..lunch." Miriam mumbled to herself. "Ah! Here it is." She pulled out a blue lunchbox from the oven. After she returned to her green couch, leaving Helga to herself.

"Thanks." Helga mumbled and walked solemnly out the door to the bus. She took a window seat in the middle of the blue bus, quietly entering her own world. The bus hit many bumps along its route causing Helga to jolt, interrupting her thoughts which annoyed her to no end. Phoebe soon joined her and sensed her hostility but decided not to irritate her more with questions. The bus was now filled with dull chatter.

Finally the bus reached its destination and everyone filed out. Helga stuck out her foot, tripping Arnold, taking out her anger on her beloved. Arnold pushed himself from the cold bus floor and shot Helga a glare.

"Just ignore her, man." Gerald whispered loud enough for Helga to hear. When they turned around and climbed out of the bus, Helga leaned back, feeling dejected. _Why did I have to do that? Sorry, my sweet. Your kind hearted soul does not deserve my torment._

Helga walked into class, stomping to make her presence known but nobody flinched. Feeling even more dejected, she slumped down in her seat and tried to pay attention. The day passed by, each minute more painful than the next and soon it was over. Helga took the long way home, Arnold hadn't even flinched when she shot spitballs at him, nor follow their normal routine by turning around and shooting her a look. _I guess I deserve his ignorance. Today has been horrible, it was as if I was invisible all day._ These thoughts swirled in her mind, she was at her stoop to her house now and suddenly with newfound passion, Helga raced up to her room. She flung open her closet, "Tomorrow will be a new day!" The pigtailed blonde dug around into the depths of her closet, only to pull out a smaller version of Olga's outfit. Her sister had given it to her last year with hopes to 'bond,' but to no avail. Helga smiled, this will be the time when she will finally be noticed by her family and peers, she thought. Helga laid the outfit on her bed and gave it a final pat then she got into bed herself, exhausted, Helga fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

The Next Day...

Sunshine shone through her window, waking her up and reminding her of yesterday. She jumped out of bed, taking on her sister's usual joy. Helga brushed and fixed her hair like Olga's then dressed into the smaller version of Olga's outfit. After applying a small amount of her mother's mascara, Helga felt she was ready, though she hated how breezy Olga's outfit really was. She climbed down the stairs, the house was silent. Helga slowly walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bowl of cereal. "Miriam?" Helga called out.

A few minutes later, Miriam stumbled out and gasped, "Oh Olga...I mean Helga! I forgot to make your lunch! Here, take this and pay for lunch at school. Sorry sweetie." Her mother handed her a twenty. "You may keep the change, sweetheart." Helga gave her mother a smile and left for school. _I guess this is better... _

"Good morning, Helga. My, you look different today." Phoebe took in her appearance but smiled as she took her seat at her desk. Though when Helga had her back turned, Phoebe's expression changed into a worried one for a second.

"Thank you, Pheebs. Good morning to you as well." Helga smiled, earning a gasp from Phoebe who then coughed to cover it up. Helga had caught Phoebe off guard and now Phoebe was worried on how this would pan out. Knowing Helga, it might not be good. The class filed in, class was starting, Arnold was the first to notice Helga's change in appearance. He was curious, was it just a change in wardrobe or did she have something up her sleeve?

"Hello, Helga." Arnold tentatively smiled.

"Good morning...Foo-Arnold." Helga regained her composure, this was going to be hard. After years of hiding, she would have to open up now. Well, almost open up.

Arnold kept his smile, his curiosity growing. "So...you look nice today."

"Oh thank you, Arnold!" Helga said in Olga's cheerful voice then proceeded to ruffle his blonde hair. Her classmates including Arnold gave Helga a confused look.

"Okay, class. We have a very _special_ lesson planned!" Mr. Simmons clasped his hands together while the class gave a low groan. "First hand in your poetry assignments."Mr. Simmons walked around the class collecting the papers, giving a warm smile to Helga who seemed cheerful this morning. The teacher stood at the front of the class, shuffling through the assignments, hoping to read one to the class. He pulled out Helga's, knowing it will be the best. Mr. Simmons noticed that Helga hadn't put _Anonymous _as her surname. Smiling, he began. "This poem is by Helga Pataki..."

"This should be good." Gerald whispered to Arnold then chuckled.

"_Roses are red, violets are blue. I can achieve and so can you._" Mr. Simmons frowned. This wasn't what he was expecting at all. He glanced over at Helga in the back who was buffing her nails. Everyone was silent. "Now open your textbooks to page 247. We will be reading the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet." Mr. Simmons made a note to pull Helga aside later.

Helga was called to read Juliet but she had said each line with a horrible cheerful tone. Finally the lunch bell rang and class was dismissed. Mr. Simmons stopped Helga. She cringed but spun around with a cheery smile. "Yes, Mr. Simmons. Do you need help with something?"

"I am worried about you, Helga."

"Worried? Why would you be worried, Mr. Simmons? I am doing amazingly well!"

"I see. Well, just know you can always talk to me." With that she left with a light step and walked to the cafeteria. Helga sat beside her friend Phoebe who had sat with a bigger circle of friends. Helga politely joined in the conversations with a smile and told hilarious stories that everyone surprisingly liked. Though there was an odd confused glance among friends but they shrugged it off.

Arnold pulled Gerald aside. "Helga has seemed to change overnight... You don't think something is wrong do you?"

Gerald just shook his head, "Why would you think something is wrong? She hasn't bullied you all day. I say this is a change for the better." Gerald tweaked his ear, "An annoying high pitched change but a change. I say, take it as it is, man."

"Okay..." Arnold glanced over at a cheerful Helga. He couldn't help but feel that she was faking it, he wasn't quite sure. _Maybe Gerald is right. _They returned to the table and the day continued on.

Helga got home, her face expressionless. The day had taken a lot out of her but it had been worth it. Arnold had paid more attention to her than usual and she was happy. Before Helga had even opened the door, she smelled a waft of delicious smells coming from her house. After stepping into the dining room, she found a big feast prepared by Miriam herself. "Welcome home, sweetie." Big Bob was sitting at the table, waiting for his daughter. "Finally we can eat." He said.

Helga quickly pulled up a seat, slinging her backpack over the chair and dug in. "So...uh, Helga? What did you do at school today?" Her mother asked with a smile.

Helga swallowed her food, "Oh! I had a great day, mother. Today, in art class we made candles from beeswax."

"Well, pull that sucker out and place it on the table." Bob almost flung the contents on his fork at Helga. Helga did as she was told. Her parents cooed at her handmade candle. "Wow. Put that candle in stores and the candle stores will go out of business." Bob chuckled and patted his daughter on the back. Helga proudly smiled. "I am proud of you, Olga." Then he continued to eat and did not notice Helga freeze. Her fork dropped against her plate with a clank. She pushed her chair out and mumbled something about homework.

Helga stomped up to her room and jumped on her bed. She lay there, thinking. _How could I possibly think this would work out as planned? I am finally accepted but living this way, I won't be known as Helga but an Olga clone. _Helga grew angry with herself. _I am undeserving of your love, your attention, my beloved. _Helga ripped out her headband and retied the pink bow then she continued to rant on. Her thoughts were interrupted by a door bell, she waited for her parents to get it but when it rang a third time, she got up with a huff and answered it.

"What?" Her tone was sharp and obviously caught the stranger off guard.

"Helga. Hello..." Arnold sheepishly smiled and waved his hand.

"Arnold?! W-what are you doing here?" Her hands were now on her hips.

"I...um...Just wanted to see if everything was alright. You were acting strangely today." Arnold rocked on his heels.

Helga's heart melted at his concern, "Of course I am, Football Head." She noticed Arnold's eyes widen at the insult or rather nickname. All of a sudden, Arnold wrapped his arms around Helga's torso.

"I am so glad you are back." He smiled. Helga sighed into his shoulder, smelling that delicious scent before pushing him away.

"What do you think you are doing?" Her cheeks were a distinct pink but Arnold was too busy dusting off invisible dust on his clothing, his cheeks were red.

"Nothing. I will see you tomorrow." He gave her a warm smile and a small wave before walking down the street.

Helga just crossed her arms. "Thank you, my love." She quietly muttered when he was out of earshot. Then she ran upstairs and tore up her imitated Olga outfit with a pair of scissors, then she tossed it in the trash. Then she lay out her pink dress on her bed before going to sleep. Helga dozed off quickly with a smile on her face and her dreams filled with football heads.

**A/N: So what did ya think? Too sappy? Not sappy enough? ;) I was watching the Masquerade episode when I got the inspiration to write this. **


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